Home Remedies for Knee Aches and Pains

Knee pain afflicts a startling number of people, particularly those of us who've been around for a few decades. To prevent this debilitating pain from getting the better of you, try these healthy and natural home remedies:

Aging invariably results in more aches & pains, and knee pain is the most common complaint that doctors and physical therapists hear. The knee if vulnerable due to its high wear and tear factor. If knee pain bothers you, here are a few things you can do alleviate it at home-

Assess your pain

Always seek help for moderate to severre knee pain, as it could indicate that you require physical therapy, a brace or even surgery. Home treatments for knee pain should only be used when the pain is mild to moderate, such as those caused by sprains, arthritis or inflammation.

Treat pain due to injury

Remember the mnemonic RICE if you’ve twisted your leg, fallen or strained your knee.

Rest- stay off your feet

Ice- ice or cold compress the injured area

Compress- wrap a compression bandage around your knee

Elevate – lie on a bed or use a foot stool to keep your leg elevated.

Treat pain due to arthritis

The lubrication and padding around knee joints deteriorate with aging, meaning that the joints come into contact with each other and become inflamed. This is known as osteoarthritis.

In more severe cases, doctors usually recommend replacement artificial cartilage. However mild to moderate pain can be treated with dietary supplements or alternative therapies.

Willow bark

The salicin in willow bark acts the same way as aspirin. It is used to treat fever, inflammation, headaches, muscle pain, spinal diseases, arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Ginger extract

You can drink ginger extract as a tea, eat it as a dried spice or take prepackaged supplements. The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger can greatly reduce knee pain when taken together with arthritis medication.

Herbal ointment

A salve made from cinnamon, ginger, mastic, and sesame oil is just as effective as over-the –counter medicine. Traditional arthritis medicines contain salicylate, which is used topically to relieve pain.

Heat and cold therapy

Invest in a heating pad, gel-style cold pack or cool compress if you have chronic pain. These can easily be found at a drug store or ordered online. Heat prevents stiff joints, while cold reduces pain and swelling.

Tai-chi

The mental aspect of practicing Tai chi promotes coping mechanisms for chronic pain, and the physical exercise helps reduce pain and increases your range of motion.

Exercise and weight management

Do your utmost to keep off unnecessary weight to lessen the impact on your knee joints, and take up a swimming or walking to ensure that you move them sufficiently to prevent them from stiffening up.

Finding care- final note

Note that some dietary supplements and alternative therapies can interfere with any prescribed medication you might be taking. Always see your doctor to find the cause of any pain.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Home Remedies for Knee Aches and Pains

As we age, we notice more aches and pains than ever before. The most common complaints doctors and physical therapists hear about are knee pains. The knee is particularly vulnerable to pain and damage due to its high wear and tear factor. The knee takes the full impact of a person’s body weight, or any added force from running or jumping. However, there are plenty of natural treatments and alternative therapies that can stop you from living at the doctor’s reception room.

Assess your pain For any moderate to severe pain, you should get medical help because some injuries require physical therapy, a brace or even surgery. Successful home treatments can be done for mild to moderate knee pain. This can be for both pains caused by sprains or arthritis. If you think the pain is due to inflammation, arthritis or minor injury, you can choose from several effective home remedies. 

 

How to treat pain due to injury 

If you have suffered a twisted leg, fallen or strained your knee in other ways, a useful mnemonic to remember is ‘RICE’.

Rest - Stay off your feet. 

Ice - Apply a bag of ice or a cold compress (a bag of peas also works). 

Compression - Wrap a compression bandage around your knee. This prevents swelling. Make sure it’s not too tight otherwise you might cut off circulation. 

Elevation - Lie on a bed or keep your foot elevated with a foot stool or ottoman. 

 

How to treat pain due to arthritis 

As people age, the lubrication and padding around their joints deteriorates. Without cartilage cushioning the joints, they will suffer bone-on-bone contact and can become inflamed, causing much pain. This is known as Osteoarthritis. For more severe cases, doctors might suggest replacing joints or inserting artificial cartilage. While there is no way of reversing the damage, there are ways to treat mild to moderate pain with natural dietary supplements or alternative therapies. 

 

Try willow bark 

You wouldn’t think that a piece of tree bark could offer so much relief, but research has found that willow bark’s active ingredient is salicin, which acts similarly to aspirin. This natural painkiller has been commonly used since the time of Hippocrates. It is used to treat fever and inflammation, as well asheadaches, muscle pains, spine disease, arthritis, and osteoarthritis. 

 

Use ginger extract

Another pain relief option that grows naturally is ginger, which can be ingested in several different ways. You can use the fresh root, drink it as a tea, eat it as a dried spice or take prepackaged supplements. Research has discovered that the phytonutrients in ginger reduce the production of chemicals in the body that promote joint inflammation. Together with prescription arthritis medication, ginger can greatly reduce joint pains, since it acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Be cautious if you take blood thinners, as ginger has the risk of increasing bleeding. 

 

 

 

Apply herbal ointment 

A salve made from cinnamon, ginger, mastic, and sesame oil was found to be just as effective as over the counter medicine, in a study published in the Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences. Traditional over the counter ointments used to treat arthritis usually contain salicylate, which is used topically to relieve pain.

Heat and cold therapy 

 It’s worthwhile investing in a heating pad, gel-style cold pack or cool compress for chronic pain. These can easily be found at a drug store, or ordered online. Heat is used to keep joints from stiffening while cold therapy can reduce pain and swelling.

Practice Tai Chi  

This ancient Chinese practice is a mind-body exercise, which helps improve balance and flexibility, works twofold for those who suffer from arthritis. A study published in Arthritis and Rheumatism (a journal), highlights that the mental aspect of the practice promotes coping mechanisms for chronic pain, and the physical exercise helps reduce pain and increases range of motion.

Consider exercise and weight management 

For some people, knee pain is reduced by moving the joint, so daily exercise is recommended. Keeping a leg stationary can stiffen the joint, and reduce the range of motion. Consider swimming or water walking as these exercises have less of an impact, together with offering countless other health benefits. Carrying excess weight can also aggravate the impact on joints, so it’s important to try and keep off any unnecessary weight. Here are some weight loss management tips.

Finding care - final note  

Your health is important, and sometimes dietary supplements and alternative therapies can conflict with any other medication you might be taking. It’s important to talk to your doctor and find the cause of any pain. Sometimes this might involve X-rays and blood work, but it’s necessary to get on the road to recovery.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement